Getty Eli Manning of the New York Giants announces his retirement during a press conference
Eli Manning will surely be an NFL Hall of Famer,he might not make it as a first balloter, says time New York Giants Super Bowl Champion, Carl Banks.
“I don’t know if he’s first ballot,” Banks told me this week on the Heavy Live With Scoop B Show.
“But I think he Will be in the Hall of Fame though.”
Manning’s NFL resume is extensive. A two-time Super Bowl champion, two-time Super Bowl MVP, four time Pro Bowler and the NFL’s Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year in 2016 was the Giants’ first pick in the 2004 NFL Draft out of Ole Miss. His No. 10 jersey was retired by Big Blue, the only team that he’s ever played for.
How could he not get the nod? During his entire 16-year NFL playing career, Manning has thrown 57,023 passing yards which translates into 366 touchdowns and a 60.3% completion rating. “I think his body of work is good enough,” Banks tells Heavy Live With Scoop B.
“His Super Bowls certainly give him the nudge if it’s close and then if it’s that much closer, he’s got a name — Manning that will you know…break the tape for him.”
Banks’ thought process is in line with former Giants legend, Tiki Barber. “He is a Hall of Famer,” Barber told me over the summer via the Scoop B Radio Podcast.
“No doubt about it. The question about First Ballot is timing because, think about the peers that he’s going in around and I think he maybe has an advantage because he’s not going to align with his brother Peyton, who retired a couple years before. He’s not going to align with Drew Brees who is still playing or Tom Brady. And so, he might get fortunate because he is a Hall of Famer and coming into a class that doesn’t have a quarterback waiting, you know what I mean? Like, he doesn’t have a guy that is a guaranteed Hall of Famer waiting.”
Now retired from football, Manning is still in tune with big blue. While hosting his Zoom Q&A in conjunction with Frank’s Red Hot Sauce this afternoon, Manning says he enjoys his mentor role with current Giants quarterback, Daniel Jones. “He’ll have a big season,” Manning said of Jones.
“Daniel’s worked extremely hard.”
Manning also watched the Giants’ loss last week against the Pittsburgh Steelers. “Difficult watching the Giants game last week,” he said.
“I was rooting for them.”
Comments